Menthol crystal

seven · Jan 16, 2015

Anyone soaped with it? I have customer who is crazy about peppermint/menthol. Peppermint eo does nothing to her, she wanted the cooling sensation. I just ordered some menthol crystals online, and thought i'd asked you guys...

Soapacetic · Jan 16, 2015

Yes, I am a noob here. No, I have not used menthol crystals in soap yet.

However menthol crystals are very potent and they are an irritant,
I have worked with them for about 5 years in another product.

Just make sure to not use the soap for face or get around eyes.
Possibly people with sensitive skin may have reactions depending on amount used.

Dorymae · Jan 16, 2015

I haven't put it in soap but I use it a lot in balms. Menthol crystal is nice to work with, a little goes a long way. I dissolve it first in a bit of warm water.

The Efficacious Gentleman · Jan 16, 2015

Some of the shavers do - keep it to 1 or 2% as a starting point. Melt them in with the oils, if I recall.

LBussy · Jan 16, 2015

I use it often. It melts on a really hot day so it is easier to work with if you refrigerate it. Sometimes the crystals will clump and stick together/to the spoon otherwise.

I melt the crystals in the oils. 3% is a nice "tingle" and 5% is cooling. This is for a hot process soap where some may be driven off in the process, so as Craig says start low.

I find the nicest experience is when the menthol is combined with something else to provide the "cool" aroma. Peppermint is a nice combination with it. I do a Vanilla/Eucalyptus/Mint that really got that "something special" from 1.5% menthol.

ETA: Menthol at 3-5% in straight Everclear is a great cooling aftershave and similar to some commercial unscented offerings.

seven · Jan 16, 2015

Thank you for the info guys, glad i asked. This customer had a previous experience with 3% menthol in a liquid soap. I thought that was pretty huge amount, as i normally scent my ls in the 1-2% range. She loved it though. Okay, to each her own.

If i want to soap with it, Would it be better to do it hp (like LBussy) to preserve the menthol? Would i be wasting the menthol if i do it cp? Hmmm, guess i have to experiment...

LBussy · Jan 16, 2015

seven said:
If i want to soap with it, Would it be better to do it hp (like LBussy) to preserve the menthol? Would i be wasting the menthol if i do it cp? Hmmm, guess i have to experiment...

I don't have a lab to quantify things, but I believe HP may drive off more of the menthol requiring a higher dose up front. I base that purely on the amount that gets in the air ... con't stand over the pot of hot oils and menthol! :shock:

As long as you get the crystals dissolved, you can use whatever process you like.

It melts at 97 to 100 °F so hot process is not needed to dissolve it. It readily dissolves in alcohol, fairly well in glycerin, very well in PG. I'd say get your oils melted and drop in the menthol, stir to dissolve, and follow whatever process you normally use.

Menthol crystal

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